Nation Mar 19 Defense Sec. Mark Esper on mobilizing the U.S. military to fight COVID-19 The U.S. military is gearing up to fight the novel coronavirus, which is spreading rapidly across the U.S. Plans include deployment of hospital ships as overflow for hospitals, allocation of critical medical supplies and research in military labs on development…
Nation Mar 19 Despite empty store shelves, grocery association says supply chain 'very strong' Many Americans have encountered long lines and empty shelves at grocery stores recently. But the problem is not one of supply; rather, stores say that most shortages are temporary and due strictly to an unprecedented surge in buying, as panicked…
World Mar 19 News Wrap: Tulsi Gabbard suspends presidential campaign In our news wrap Thursday, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii suspended her longshot bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. In a message to her supporters, Gabbard said that despite her political differences with former Vice President Joe Biden, he…
Making Sen$e Mar 19 Economist Ken Rogoff on whether the U.S. has ever experienced a crisis like this one The coronavirus pandemic is causing immense economic damage. The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits has surged as businesses nationwide close down and are forced to lay off workers. Has the country ever experienced anything like this? Paul Solman…
Health Mar 19 A Brief But Spectacular take on being a rural area's only doctor Dr. Karen Kinsell is the only physician in Fort Gaines, Georgia, a town of 3,000 people, where 40 percent of residents live below the poverty line. Some of her patients can’t afford to pay her, but she says her office…
Nation Mar 18 Trump takes new executive action as health officials warn cases will surge In the face of a growing medical crisis, President Trump escalated both his rhetoric and his policy response Wednesday. He referred to the novel coronavirus as “the invisible enemy” and vowed to treat the fight against it as “a war.”…
Economy Mar 18 Could clarity around U.S. response to pandemic calm the economy? The novel coronavirus pandemic continues to cause economic shockwaves. On Wall Street, stocks plummeted again, with their accumulated decline now erasing nearly all the market gains since President Trump took office. Can the government take any action to reassure investors…
Health Mar 18 Is U.S. health system ready for COVID-19 surge? These experts say no New analysis by Harvard University researchers indicates that hospital capacity in many parts of the U.S. will be overwhelmed as the novel coronavirus continues to spread. Now, health care systems are working to increase their readiness. Jeremy Konyndyk of the…
World Mar 18 News Wrap: Virus delays GOP run-off for Alabama Senate seat In our news wrap Wednesday, Alabama postponed a Republican primary run-off for a U.S. Senate seat because of the coronavirus pandemic. The race pits former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions against former Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville. Also, a…